Greenock OAP left sick with worry over six month wait for bill

AN elderly woman says she cannot sleep at night as she is sick with worry over a six-MONTH wait for a heating bill from Scottish Power.

Ann Wylie’s troubles began when she moved into Braemar Gardens in Greenock’s Robertson Street in June last year.

The 75-year-old is still waiting to find out the cost of using the electric storage heating system in her new home.

Despite making repeated phone calls, some of which have lasted up to an hour, she has been unable to get a heating bill.

Distressed Ann said: “I can’t sleep at night worrying about this.

“I have always paid my bills.

“I phone up and every time they tell me it will be with me in five days but it never arrives.

“I am sick of it.

“I think it is a disgusting way to treat people.

“I don’t know if I will have to pay hundreds of pounds.”

Ann’s problems began when she discovered the house had a pre-payment meter.

She asked for it to be replaced by a standard one and after it was installed she told Scottish Power she wanted to pay a quarterly bill in cash.

But the energy firm failed to get in touch with a bill and the problem has continued ever since.

Ann added: “Every time I phone they ask for an account number, but I tell them I didn’t have one because they’d never sent me anything!

“I don’t even know when I will get it. It could take another three months.”

Fed-up Ann turned to the Tele for help and after we immediately intervened she was contacted directly by senior management at Scottish Power, who finally pledged to not only fix the problem but also compensate her for the level of distress she has suffered.

A Scottish Power spokesman said: “We have offered our apologies.

“There was a problem with the registration of the meter.

“A senior manager has contacted our customer and we will also arrange compensation.”